


Rhythms

by clowsan



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-02
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-04-02 11:59:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4059190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clowsan/pseuds/clowsan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The domestic life and love of Matt Murdock and Claire Temple. AU. Post season one. Years into the future they are happy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Idylls

A wail dragged Claire out of her dreamless sleep as it always had for the past week. Her head shot up with instinct. Frankie. 

A warm hand suddenly was on her shoulder and she relaxed. “I got it.” Matt murmured. She laid back down as he slid out of their bed. She curled up as his spot rapidly lost its warmth to the winter’s chill. She groaned slightly when she failed to capture back her sleep and glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table. 7:30 am. It was too early for her to be up. In the hall, she could hear Matt pacing with their baby. 

Often she asked herself how they ever got this far. How did they managed to get past all their baggages and hung ups and get to this point with a house in the suburbs, a ring around her finger and a newborn. She certainly could not tell somebody the exact process but she knew that it was not easy. Especially for Matt. Sometimes she wondered if he ever regretted this.

She got her answer as she leaned against the door of the nursery and watched Matt rock their son back to sleep. There was devotion in his eyes as he cradled Frankie. A certain gentleness and softness were back on his face that had been washed off with all the violence and horror he had to endure and she knew that this was how it was supposed to be.

“Can’t go back sleep?” He asked, suddenly, drawing her back 

She smiled. “You keep the bed warm.” 

He gave her one of those roguish smile that made her give in that night so many year ago when he arrived in her doorstep with no injuries but with a bouquet of flowers. “I’m almost done here. Then I can warm you up.”

A few minutes later they were back in their bed, her head against his chest, listening to the strong beating of his heart. “Claire...”

“Hmm?” She hummed, sleepily as he ran his fingers through her hair.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

He kissed the top of her head. “For everything. I love you.”

She smiled as her eyes drooped even lower. “I love you too.”


	2. Heartbeat

The first time Matt Murdock heard his unborn son’s heartbeat, he almost jumped out of his skin in surprise.

It happened one quiet Sunday morning while he and Claire were eating brunch. One of her hand was tracing circles over his in a calming gesture when the sound suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It was soft and muted that even he, who had enhanced hearing, had to strain his ears to listen. 

Had Claire not been so close to him, he doubt he would have noticed but there it was steady and strong. Like a hummingbird beating its wings.

_Thumpthumpthumpthump._

His first thought was to tell Claire and he had opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it close. How exactly would he tell her? You're pregnant with our child. I can hear its heartbeat. Not really the best way. So when Claire called out his name and asked if something was wrong, he replied a negative and held her hand tighter.

A week later she showed him the pregnancy test and he did his best to appear surprised. But the way she smack his arm alerted him that he failed. 

"You knew, didn’t you?"

"I heard its heartbeat one week ago." He replied, sheepishly. "I thought you’d like to break the news yourself." 

She let out an amused laugh and took his hand and placed it on her abdomen. The vibrations were stronger there and he could almost ’see’ the baby. 

"This is good, right?" Claire asked, softly. 

"It’s fantastic." 

*  
For a very long time, the only family Matt had was Foggy. Then Claire came and lit up his world in ways he did not think were possible for a man with so much blood in his hands. And while they were the best family Matt could ever hope for, there was something special about this little being growing in his wife. It was a person with half of him in it. His flesh and blood and it is magnificent and wonderful. 

He closely monitored the baby’s growth through the vibrations he felt. He spent countless hours with either his ear or his hand against Claire’s steadily expanding waist and witnessed the formation of tiny hands and feet and ears and eyes. He sensed the movements, the restlessness and of course the robust and constant beating heart. 

Claire would smile and would card her fingers through his hair, totally patient and understanding. "At this rate, we don’t really need to go to the doctor’s for an ultrasound." She would say playfully and with a kiss on the top of his head.

*  
"Man this kid can kick!" Foggy exclaimed. His awe barely contained as he spread his hands to cover more of Claire’s very pregnant stomach. 

She was almost on her due date and it was only a matter of time before the baby was born. Foggy dropped in their house to hand some case folders and to just check in because it had been a week since Matt last went to the office in person. That, of course, meant an invitation to stay for dinner from Claire.

“It’s the Murdock genes.” Claire replied in a fond tone as she rubbed her baby bump. "Though I have to admit, he is a little bit restless tonight."

The statement set off warning signals in Matt’s brain. He added his hand on his wife’s bump and felt the vibrations. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

“Matt?” Claire said. “What the matter?”

“We need to go to the hospital. You’re going to be in labor soon.”

Not two minutes after he stated that, her water broke.

*  
The night was a blur to Matt. He was sure it was Foggy who drove them to the hospital and he was quite certain that he had lost all circulation to his hands with how hard Claire squeezed them during the delivery. He vaguely remembered being threatened with genital mutilation twice. Once when he tried to help by warning Claire of her contractions. He learned the value of silence and nonsense comforting words. And ice chips. He owned ice chips his life.

But the first cries of his child pushed the fog of disorientation away and his mind was crystal clear. It was such a beautiful and strong sound. Matt followed the nurses’ movements as they cleaned, weighed and swaddled the newborn.

“It’s a healthy baby, Mrs. Murdock.” They said as they handed the bundle to Claire. 

Beside him, he could hear and could smell Claire’s tears. “Oh Matt… he’s beautiful. Here, hold him.”

His world seemed to stop when Claire handed him their child. The weight of him cradled on the crook of his arm and the sweet scent of him were overpowering and his own tears fell before he could stop them..

 _Let Daddy look at you._ He thought as his hand gently roamed over the tiny face. He chuckled brokenly. “He got your lips,” He commented, “and my nose, unfortunately.” 

Claire laughed in between sniffles. “He’s perfect, Matt.”

“Yes. Yes he is.” He pulled the baby closer to his body when the little one started to whimper. “Hey Franklin. _Frankie._ It’s okay… I got you. I got you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot! Second chapter and it's tooth rotting sweet. And of course their son is named after Foggy. Anything else is unacceptable.


	3. Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Be careful with the Murdock boys. They have the devil in 'em.

_Be careful with the Murdock boys. They have the devil in 'em._

Franklin Murdock is a good boy. Straight As. Volunteers in the local church's feeding program every Sunday. Helps old ladies cross the street. 

Never had it crossed Claire's mind that she would ever be called in the middle of the day because her son was sent to the principal office for breaking three other boys' noses. 

She debated calling Matt. But the school called her for a reason. Her husband was their son's first contact because as a lawyer with his own practice he had a more flexible schedule. But he had a hearing today. His phone was most probably off.

Her son stood up to greet her when she arrived. At thirteen, he was as tall as her. She was expecting him to be bloody but the only indication that he was in a fight was a rumpled shirt and a small cut across his right eyebrow. _The first swing._ She realized. 

"What happened?" She asked as she examined the injury. 

Frankie grimaced and looked uncannily like Matt at that moment. "It's-"

The door to the principal office opened and cut him off. "Ah Mrs. Murdock. This way please." 

*  
_We do not condone bullying in this institution, Mrs. Murdock. But we also do not condone violence. And what your son did, no matter how honorable the reason must be dealt with adequately._

*  
"I'm suspended, aren't I?" 

They had been driving for five minutes and those were the first words that come out of Frankie’s mouth. 

Claire shook her head. "No. Not suspended. But I'm afraid you'll be in detention after school for next three days." She glanced at her son. "Don't look so surprised, _corazon_."

"I just expected something worse than that is all." He replied. 

Claire sighed. "What happened?" She asked again. 

"Didn't they tell you in the office?" 

"Yes they did. But I want to hear your version of it." 

It was unfortunate that Frankie inherited her mouth. Matt's scowls tended to appear like pouts on their son's face. 

"There's this kid. I don't really know him but I've seen him around. He wears these hearing aids. Anyway today during lunch, I saw these older boys who thought it was funny to grab the kid's hearing aid and play monkey in the middle with it." Frankie paused. "I tried to tell them to stop but they didn't listen so I snatched the aid back. Next thing I know one of them swung his fist on me." He touched the cut above his eye. "I barely dodged it. And, you know how it ended." 

Claire listened and let out another sigh. Like father like son. They could not walk away from helping somebody even if their life depended on it. She gave her son’s knee a firm and reassuring squeeze.

“You did well, Frankie.” She said. “I probably shouldn’t be saying this but I think you did as well as you could have with the set of circumstances.”

The young boy nodded. The corners of his lips curling up. “Thanks Mom. I appreciate that.”

She smiled as well. "Which leads us to an important question, how did you learn how to break noses without injuring yourself."

There was a moment of silence.

“Searching for records may or may not be the only thing Dad and I do during bonding time.” The teen replied as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Claire raised an eyebrow. “I suppose answering vaguely like a lawyer is one of them?” 

“Actually that’s from Uncle Foggy. He said I’m too ‘boy scout’ and I'm not living up to his name.”

“Your father and your Uncle Foggy are due for a dressing down.” She said, half seriously. 

She knew Matt was teaching Frankie some self defense skills. She wondered if her husband knew how much of it their son had absorbed. 

“Do you think Dad will be mad?” 

“Frankie, your father is the best person to understand. Just tell him what you told me.” She ruffled his hair. “You’re a good kid. But I hope the next time you have to play hero, try something less conspicuous than inflicting a bloody nose.“


End file.
